Wade on Birmingham

Heads and tales: False alarm

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patricia todd

The bitter beginning: By a 95-87 vote, the state Democratic Party upheld Patricia Todd’s victory for the District 54 house seat on Saturday. By the numbers:

  • 59: Vote margin of victory in the July 18 runoff;
  • 81: Days since the June 6 election to declare a winner;
  • 3,000: Amount paid by runner-up Gaynell Hendricks’ mother-in-law to challenge the contest;
  • 25,000: Amount paid by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which Todd disclosed late, sparking the challenge;
  • 18: Years since candidates were required to follow the rule that knocked out both candidates prior to Saturday’s decision.

Once again, Todd becomes the first openly gay member of the Legislature. On to Montgomery.
• Alabama Democrats reinstate gay candidate for Legislature [Associated Press]

Do not assume: John Mark Karr, arrested in Thailand for the murder of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey, won’t be charged. A DNA test showed he wasn’t at the the crime scene 10 years ago. Since his whirlwind tabloid debut nearly two weeks ago, we’ve learned that Karr grew up in Hamilton and taught as a substitute teacher there, and also ran a daycare out of his home. The case remains open.
• Timeline of John Mark Karr Between 1996 and 2006 [Associated Press]

Soaring cost of health care: Everyone’s favorite corporate scalawag Richard Scrushy now owes HealthSouth more than $50 million in repayment of bonuses, a figure that grows by more than $15,000 a day in interest, or a Hamilton a minute. Wonder if that money will ever be repaid in full — not that the shareholders will ever see a dime.
• Scrushy told he must pay $51.5 million [Birmingham News]

The starstruck Enterprise: Country singer George Jones has a new home of sorts. He and his wife are calling the southeast Alabama town of Enterprise their home for part of the year, as he becomes spokesman for a real estate company based there. The couple also plans to open the Possum Holler Restaurant (Jones’ nickname is the Possum). Some new residents are plunking down money for lots next door to keep up with the Joneses, including a Florida lottery winner. To quote Dennis Miller, “And you thought there were a lot of zeroes in the prize total …”
• Possum Finds Happiness in a Small Town [Black and White]

Also:

  • Katrina refugees welcomed as permanent scapegoats for city
  • Red Mountain decried for alleged past Communist ties
  • Vestavia Hills shown to consume trendy restaurants at alarming rate

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